The things that make an equitable learning environment are teacher/student relationships, administrative help, and providing a safe space for all students.
Throughout this class we have gone over and seen countless examples of teachers not supporting their students. Whether that be from not handling accommodations or misunderstanding their home lives, these are prime examples of what not to do as a teacher. Additionally, teachers cannot do much to support their students if the administration isn't just as if not more helpful. We saw this in one of the case studies when the administration actively chose against the best interest of their students that couldn't access their online homework at home. We must avoid this as future administrators as it can be detrimental to our student's success. The whole point of becoming an educator is to help them succeed. Finally, in order for students to do any learning at all they must be in a safe environment. We read that as culturally responsive teachers it is necessary for this to happen, otherwise the students fight or flight response will kick in. It takes thirty minutes for the alarm going off inside their head to subside. If we as teachers constantly make this alarm go off, we need to reassess what we are doing right and wrong. Overall, throughout this course we have learned what it takes to be effective educators. Using our own experiences and what we have learned this semester, we can meet students where they are and making sure they're learning in a fun and safe space. |